Last month, when we went through Ashville, Alabama, they had an “upping block” downtown — I think these were used primarily for women who needed a bit of a lift to get on their horses sidesaddle gracefully, what with their hoops/petticoats/long gowns:
That one is dated from 1850.
This one we saw in Courtland, Alabama. There was another on a facing corner, but this one was in front of the historic A.F. Rebman & Co. store:
